Cypress man gets DUI charge in wreck that closed 290 for 12 hours

Cy-Fair fire department is on the scene along with Harris County Hazardous Materials crew continue to clean up a chemical spill that occurred at 9 p.m. on 290 north bound on Tuesday, Sept. 3, 2013, in Houston. Traffic is taking the Mueschke Road exit and riding feeder road north 290.

Photo By HCC4

Michael Morrow

Photo By Mayra Beltran/Houston Chronicle

Cy-Fair fire department is on the scene along with Harris County Hazardous Materials crew continue to clean up a chemical spill that occurred at 9 p.m. on 290 north bound on Tuesday, Sept. 3, 2013, in Houston. Traffic is taking the Mueschke Road exit and riding feeder road north 290.

Photo By Mayra Beltran/Houston Chronicle

Harris County Hazardous Materials on the scene to continue to clean up a chemical spill that occurred at 9 p.m. on 290 north bound on Tuesday, Sept. 3, 2013, in Houston. Traffic is taking the Mueschke Road exit and riding feeder road north 290.

A 46-year-old Cypress man was arrested in a traffic wreck that led to an overturned tanker truck and a chemical spill on U.S. 290 in northwest Harris County Tuesday night, forcing officials to shutdown the freeway for more than 12 hours.

Michael Morrow is charged with driving while intoxicated, according to Harris County Precinct 4 Constable's Office. Harris County records show it is a first offense and a misdemeanor. He is free on $500 bail.

The wreck happened about 9:15 p.m. on the outbound Northwest Freeway near Mueschke, Deputies said Morrow was driving a pickup when he failed to maintain a single lane of traffic and hit the big rig. The tanker overturned and spilled aluminum sulfate solution on to the freeway.

Deputies said Morrow was detained at the scene and arrested for suspicion of driving while intoxicated.

No injuries were reported.

The westbound lanes of the freeway remained shut down hours after the crash as crews cleaned up the mess. The freeway reopened about 12:40 p.m. Wednesday.